Have you witnessed an act of cruelty being committed or do you feel that an animal is being neglected? Are you concerned for the welfare of the animal?
Examples of cases we investigate:
- Deliberate acts of cruelty (violence, abuse, or harm towards an animal)
- Neglect cases (lack of food, water, shelter, or veterinary care)
- Abandonment (pets left without proper care)
- Severe health issues due to mistreatment or neglect
Once a report is made, our Inspectorate will review the information, assess the situation, and determine the appropriate action. This may involve visiting the location, speaking with the pet owner, issuing warnings or fines, or, in serious cases, seizing animals to protect their welfare.
What we can’t assist with:
While our Inspectors are dedicated to protecting animals, some issues fall outside our legal jurisdiction and are handled by local councils instead. These include:
- Barking dogs or nuisance complaints
- Roaming or stray pets (unless they are injured or in distress)
- Dangerous or restricted dog breeds (unless there is a welfare concern)
- Microchipping and registration inquiries
For these matters, please contact your local council.
To investigate a complaint, our animal welfare inspectors require reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence has occurred. For this reason, it is important that you provide your contact details so that we can ask for more information if required. Your contact details remain strictly confidential and are protected in accordance with the NSW Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act. Animal Welfare League NSW can only accept complaints from persons aged 18 years or over.